I have to do a little bit of catch up with this email and explain what has happened these past couple of weeks. It has been a roller coaster for sure but it has all been good.
We had a really good lesson with a good sister. She is the less active that we have been working a lot with. Our ward mission leader gave us this really great idea we could use with her. He said have her write for 45 minutes about this question "what would my life be if I didn't have any limiting beliefs? A limiting belief is something that holds us back. He said even if she gets stuck tell her to keep writing, whatever comes to her mind to keep writing. My companion and I also did the exercise and it was really interesting and actually helped with a lot of things. From what she wrote we set goals with her physically, spiritually, emotionally, and financially. She has been to church the last 3 weeks in a row! That is the most she has been since I have been in the area. She has met with the Bishop to try and get things better. She told us "ever since I have gone back to church and have met with the Bishop, I feel more happy and I don't even know why". That was the best thing I could have heard from her. She has changed so much these past 4 months I have been here in Pleasant Grove. She really does seem more happy and she is glowing. It is so neat to see.
We have been working with another girl as well. It has been a little up and down with her. We have prayed so much for her and how we can better help her. My mom sent me her conversion story a couple of months ago. We decided that we should read it with Brenda and talk about it.
Sister Lutz and I both felt that she could really relate to it. A lot of things in the story really applied to her and her family. I was telling her that she is so ready, that she already knows so much and has a testimony, I told her you know what a great blessing the Gospel has been for your family. You can be sealed to your parents and whole family. We put her on date to be baptized for the 27th of this month.
She was very hesitant about it but said she would pray about it. We met with her again and talked about the fears she is having and what is holding her back....she said she didn't feel like she would be
ready for the 27th. We don't want to pressure her. Not gonna lie...Sister Lutz and I were pretty crushed...we have fasted and prayed for her so much. We have done everything we can for her, it's
up to her now, we just need to be patient with her. She has been taught by a lot of sister missionaries. A sister (M) day she finally gets baptized will be a great day for her and her family.
We have been teaching a brother as well, he is from Mexico. He is actually roommates with another brother who was baptized in July. This new brother is a really great guy and has a desire to learn more. We are taking things really slow for him because he doesn't understand things very well. His roommate has been amazing fellowshipping him. When we have lessons with his, his roommate is there and always steps in to bear his testimony...its so neat seeing the change in him. He is such a strong member and a great member missionary.
We are continuing visiting all of the members in our ward to get to know them better and share the Restoration with them. It has been going really well and we have been able to get a lot of referrals from it.
We had Emily Smith come out with us one night. She was one of my companions in Provo, she is at BYU now. She actually used to serve here in Pleasant Grove. She has also been companions with Sister Lutz, we had such a great time with her. She came with us to 4 lessons! She is amazing! She still bore such a strong testimony of the gospel to the people we were teaching. She mentioned an experience that her and I had when we served in Provo, she shared it to a less active family we were teaching, it was such a great reminder to me of a lot of things. I actually shared a status about it on my facebook, I want to share it again...here it is:
"Yesterday I was reminded of how much The Book of Mormon has helped me in my life. I was reminded of an experience that I had with one of my companion's when I served in Provo. I was going through a difficult time, I was having a lot of doubts about certain things. I had prayed many times about what I was going through but never felt like I received an answer. My companion and I decided that we needed to pray again. We went to separate rooms and got down on our knees and prayed out loud. We then came back together and turned to The Book of Mormon and the page that we turned to was literally an answer to our prayer. I finally knew what my answer was. I felt such an overwhelming feeling of peace and comfort. I knew in that moment that Heavenly Father was mindful of me and that he does answer our prayers. I know that the Book of Mormon can help us receive those answers. I am so grateful for The Book of Mormon, the more I read it the more I feel Jesus Christ in my life. I know it can guide us in the direction we need to go. I know The Book of Mormon changes lives because it has changed mine. I will forever be grateful for that experience I had with my companion."
We also had stake conference last week, it was actually regional conference so it was broadcasted from the Marriott Center in Provo. Elder Richard G. Scott spoke and Elder Russell M. Nelson spoke. They were amazing talks. Elder Scott talked about the power of prayer, some notes that I took on his talk were:
Just talk to him, you are his precious child
Take the time to tell your deepest feelings
When the answer is no, it is to help you prevent error
When he withholds an answer it is to have us grow and increase our faith, he expects us to be obedient
When you are sensitive to the promptings of the spirit, you will receive peaceful confirmation that your choice is correct
He will prompt you in peaceful moments
His pattern allows you to grow, be thankful that God has you struggle for awhile....your character grows
Never feel you are too unworthy to pray
Prayer is most effective when we strive to be clean and obedient
I loved this talk so much by him, it was a great reminder of a lot of things for me about the power of prayer.
Yesterday we didn't have normal church, it was the rededication of the Ogden Temple, it was broadcasted in all of the stake centers in Utah, it was so neat. I love the temple so much, my companion and I were actually able to go this week for a session, the temple helps us so much, I love it.
Well I think that is about it, I hope everyone is doing well. Thanks for all of the love and support.
Love,
Hermana Veronica Garces
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